Switch mechanism



SWITCH vIVI'ECHANISM .Filed Julll-e 16, 1922 INVENTOR Harry G; "Ho ke.

ATITIORNEY Stillwater, in the county of Payne and Statey Patented Dec.15, 1925.

UNITED STATES* 1,565,455 PATENroFFicE.

HARRY G'. HOKE, 0F STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA.

n. swr'rcn MEGHANISM.

Application inea :une 1e, 1922. seal No. 563,676.

To all whom it may concern.' y I, Be it known that I, HARRY G. 110191,11citizen of the United States, and a resident of of Oklahoma, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementdn Switch Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to switch mechanisms and particularly to metalhousings for co'n-I taining switch and fuse devices employed 1n electriccircuits.

One object of my invention is to provide a standard switch housing withanV auxiliary housing that is adapted to contain branchline fuses. i

Another object of m invention 1s to provide a housing of the a ovecharacter wherev:

in the door for the auxiliary housing is so interlocked with the doorfor the switch housing that the door for the auxiliary Ihousing can notbe opened so long as the door for the switch housing is in closedposition.

Another object of my invention isv to pro- .'vide a housing, having theabove characteristics, wherein the doors for both v housings' may besealed in closed position by `a single sealv for preventing unauthorizepersons .from tampering or interfering with the apparatuscontainedpthren.

Another object' of my invention is to rovide a housing of theabove-described c aracter, wherein the door for the switch housingcannot be closed without first closing the door v'for the auxiliaryhousing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch housing havingintegral anges to which suitable attaching devices .on an .auxiliaryhousing may be applied for fastening the auxiliary housing to the switchhousing without the use of screws or arate fastening-members. l-

' A further object of my invention is to other sep- -provide a housingfor a switch and branchcircuit fuses that may be made of sheet metal andwhich is simple and inexpensve to manufacture.

These and other objects, that will be 'made apparent throughout thefurther description of my invention, are attained by means of the switchmechanism hereinafter described, and illustrated' in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a'front view of the housings, showing .the door for theswitch housing partially open, the door for the auxiliary housing beingremoved,

tached tothe housing by vmeans of vscrews 8 l that are threaded intoclips 9 which are integral with the 'iside walls of the housing.`

A doorl11, having side ianges 12 and an end Han e 13, is pivoted'to thehousing'fby means o rivets 14 that extend throu h perforationsinthe sidel'anges'12 and t e side iianges 15 of thel cover 7 the side yvallsofthe' housing being cut away, as at 16, to provide space for'the rivetheads.

A switch panel 16a amounted within ai@ housing v4 and supports fusereceptacles 17 and switch-jaw members 18 and 19. Switch-blade members 21are pivoted to the switchjaw` members 18 and are movabley i intolcontact with i the contact-j aw members 19 by means of an operating rod22. The

`switch-blade members 21 are connected by means of'an insulating bar 23that isprovidedwith a clip .24 through which an eyebolt 25 projects. Theeyebolt25 is pivoted to the operatin rod 22 and is rovided with a spring26, t at isv dispose between the 24, and a threaded nut 27 on the eye-The switch described is of standardlconstruction and is provided withmeans for so interlockingfthe switch with the cover that openingmovement of the cover is precluded i so long as the switch is in closedposition and closing movement of the switch 1s prevented-` so longas thecover is in open position.

This' interlock may be of any preferred construction, forins'tance, suchas that illustrated in the copending application Serial No. "324,811,filed Sept..19, 1919 by Charles 'Cordier and assigned-tovl theWestinghousev Electric & Manufacturing Comany. i 4 i v Theswitch-and-cover interlock comprises a plate 28 secured to the cover`and having Aan arcuate flange 29 that engages an arcuate portion 30 oftheswitch-operating rod-22 when the switch is in closed position. When.the switch is in open position, the portion 30 clears the flange 29 andpermits opening movement of the cover. When the cover isopen,-the'flange2,9 lies across the path of movement of Athe Abar 22 and preventsclosing movement ofthe cover so long as the cover isin open position.

An auxiliary adaptor cabinet33 is made ofv sheet metal and comprisesintegral slde' walls 34 and 35 and an end wall 36. `The side. walls areprovided with inwardlyturned flanges 37 and 38, the latter having--integra] tongues 39 extending therefrom that are bent in `U shape andare adapted to slidably engage the f ianges 5 of the housing 4.

The. bottom ofthe cabinet 33 is rovided llalso with an end flange 41that is a apted to abut a similar iiange 42 integral with the.

bottom of the houslng 4'. The side {ianges 5' and 38 abut one anotherand constitute a closed seal between the housings. r

A door 43 is pivotally mounted onthe autiliary housing by means ofhinges 44 that are secured to the side wall 350i the auxiliary housing.AThe door 43 is provided withv Iside flanges 45 that overlapv the sidewalls of the auxiliary housing and is also provided with anoutwardly-'extending iiange 46 which is adapted toi-beoverlapped by theflange 13 of the do'or'z'v-ll: when the latter is in closed position. i

A clip 47 is securedA to the flange 46 yin such position that, when thecover .43 is -inl the open position indicated in Fig. 3, it lies in thepath of closing movement-of the cover 11. It is apparent, therefore,that the cover 11 cannot lbe closed without first closing the door 43.

' tion shown in Fig. 3.

By reason of the construction illustrated and above (escribed, it willbe seen that the door Vfor the auxiliary housing cannot be opened solong asthc door 11 for the switch housing is in closed position. It isalso ap-A parent that the door 11 cannot be opened so long as the switchis in closed position and, therefore, access cannot be had to .thedevice in the auxiliary housing so -long as the switch is in closedposition. l

As illustrated in the drawings, a fuse panel 52, having fuse receptacles53 for two branch circuits, is mounted in the auxiliary housing 33, thefuses 54 in thereceptacle 17 being thefmaln service fuses.

the adaptor housing, branch-,line fuse recep-" By reason of tacles maybe associated with the entrance of the side walls' switches usuallyenclosed in the standard 'Safety housing, and, by reason of theinterlock between the doors of the housing and between the door of theswitch housing and the switch, the full safety feature of the mainswitch mechanism is extended. tothe fuses of the branch circuits.Accessmay. not be'had to the branch circuits so long as the switch is inclosed position.

AS an additional precaution against th operator coming in contact withlive parts, a barrier 55 is disposed within the main housin between thefuse 'receptacle 17 and' the switch. iVhen the doors are open, no liveparts are accesible. K f

5 In order to render both compartments of the housing inaccesible tounauthorizedper-v flangev 46 is provided with-an exsons, the tension 55having a perforation 56. 'The extension projects through a slot 57 inthe door 43 when thedoors are 1n closed position and,

consequently, both may be sealed in closed position by a. seal 58 havingits bail inserted' through the perforation in the extension.

, While'` I have illustrated and described-- but one embodiment 'of myinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art,that vvarious. changes, modifications, tions, additions and ,omissions may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, as set forth in the appended-claims.

I claim as-my invention:

l. 'Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a coverfor the housing, amovable door for the housing, a movable switch member.

inthe housing, means for so interlocking the switch and the door thatopening movement of the door is precluded so long as the switch' is inclosed position, an auxiliary housing attached to the first housing andcommunicating therewith, a .door for the auxiliary housing and means forApreventing opening movement of the last said'door so long as the'switch is in closedposition. 2. Switch m-cchanism'com'prising Yahousing, a cover vfor the housing, a movable door for the-housing, amovable. switch member `in the housing, means for so interlocking theswitch and the door that opening movement of the door is precluded solong as the` switch is'in closed position, an auxiliary housing attachedto the first housing and communicating therewith, a door for thcauxiliary housing and means for preventingopening movement of the lastsaid door so long as the first said door is in closed position.

Switch mechanism comprising-a housing, a cover for the housing, amovable door for the housing, a', movable switch member in the housing,means for so interlocking the switch-and the door that openingmoveswitch is in closed position, lan auxiliary substitu- I ment of thedoor is' precluded so long as the i communicating therewith, a door forthe auxiliaryl housing having a flange overlapped by the first said doorfor preventing opening .movement of the second door s o long as thefirst door is in closed position.

4. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a cover for the housing, amovable door for the housing, a movable switch member in the housing,means for so interlocking the switch and the door that closing movementof the switch is prevented so long as s the door is in open position, anauxiliary housing attached to and communicating with the first housing,a second door for the aux- A iliary housing and means whereby thefirstdoor cannot be closed without closing the second door.

5. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a cover for the housing, adoor for the housing, switch mechanism within the housing, an auxiliaryhousing attached to and communicating withthe'firs't housing forcontaining branch line fuses, a door for the. auxiliary housing andmeans for interlock- .25 ing the` doors whereby the second said doorcannot be opened so long as the first door is in closed position. A,

6. Switch mechanism comprising a housing, a coverV for the housing, adoor for the housing, switch mechanism within the housing,.an auxiliaryhousing attached to and communicating with the first housing forcontaining branch line fuses, a door for the #auxiliary housing andmeans for interlocking the doors whereby closing of the first V doorcauses closing of the second door.

7. The combination with a-housing, hawingtwo doors hinged for rotationabout different' angularly disposed axes, one of the 4J doors having laportion movable into the path of closing movement o f .the other door,of a means onthe ylastA said doorl for limiting its movement andpreventing movement of. the said means out of the path of closing 15movement of the other door.

A housing for electrical devices comprising a casing havingseparatefcompartments therein, separate doors for the ,saidcompartments, a switch in one compartment 5o inter-locked withone of thedoors andV means for so interlocking'the doors that 'a single fsealro-uperating with the said means serves to retain the doors 1nclosed position.

9. The combination with a switch,l of any e5 enclosure therefor having aclosure member movable into and out of closing\position, a cabinetassociated therewith, said cabinetA having a closure member movable intoand out of closing position and means interlocking said closure memberswith said switch so that said closure members can only be opened whensaid switch 1s 1n openclrcuit posltion.

l0. The combination with a switch, of an ing said closuremembers withsaid. switch so that said switchl can only be closed when bothsaidclosure members are in closing position.

l1. The combination with a Switch,

of an enclosure therefor, electrical devices in .said enclosure, aclosure member therefor, a

cabinet associated therewith, electrical devices in said cabinet, and aclosure member for said cabinet, said closure members being interlockedwith said switch so that neither Vof said closure members-can be openedto obtain access to 'said devices until switch has been opened.

12. The combination with a switch, of an enclosure therefor, a closuremember for said after said enclosure, a cabinet associated therewith, a

closure member for. said cabinet, and means interlocking said closuremembers with each other and with said switch.

13. The combination with a switch, of an enclosure therefor,`a closuremember for said enclosure interlocked with said switch, a cabinetvassociated therewith and a closure member for said cabinet interlockedwith said first closure member.

14. Thecombination with' a switch, of an enclosure therefor, a closuremember for said enclosure interlocked 'with said switch so that saidclosure member can be opened only when said switch is in open position,a cabi# net associated therewith, a closure member for said cabinet, andmeans interlocking said last` closure member and said-first closuremember so that said last mentioned-closure memberl can bev opened onlyafter said first closure member is opened.

l5. The combination with a switch,of an enclosure therefor, aclosuremember for said enclosure 'interlockedrwith said switch 4so thatsaid' switch can only be closed when said closure member is closed, acabinet associated therewith, a closure member for said cabinet, andmeans interlocking said last closure member and said first closuremember so that said first closure member can only be closed when saidlast closure member is closed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this eighteenthday of May, 1922. e

HARRY G. HOKE.

